Coupler



July 21, 1953 H. H. woLFE 2,646,176

COUPLER Filed March 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l l H' llllvl.v4

H. H. WOLFE July 21, 1953 COUPLER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1949H. H. WOLFE July 2l, 1953 COUPLER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 17, 1949o lb ATTOR N EY July 21, 1953 H. H. woLFE 2,646,176

coUPLER Filed March 17, 1949 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented l .uly 21,195.15

ATE-NT vOFFICE COUPLER Harry H. Wolfe, Columbus, Ohio, assignorto TheBuckeye Steel Castings Company,y Columbus,

Ohio

Application March 17, 1949', Serial No. 81,893

The present invention relates to a railway couv pler of the knuckle typeand the invention more particularly pertains to tightlock couplers andto improvements in thelock andV associated parts of such couplingdevices.

The tightlockcoup-ler in present day use is provided with a lockihavinga wedge-shaped face which is adapted tobe'engaged by a surface on theknuckle tail which is inclined with respect to a vertical plane. Suchinclined lock bearing surfaces facilitate movement of the lock to alocked position when the knuckle is closed. The wedge-shaped lock;however, has the disadvann tage that when heavy pulling forces areapplied on the knuckle a resultant forceis developed by lreason of theinclination of the lock bearing surfaces on the knuckle tail and thelockand this force is in adirection tending to lift the lock. In the useof a 4coupler having angularly disposed lock bearing surfaces trainpartings have occurred which may be partly attributed to the wedgegtyperoi" lock. The tendency of the lock to move upwardly is more pronouncedwhen the lock bearing surfaces are moist or oily.

An object of the present invention is to provide lock bearing surfacesbetween the knuckle and the lock with these surfaces disposedin asubstantially true vertical positionor substantially parallel to theaxis of the knuckle 'pivot pin so as to avoid wedgingv action whichtends to lift the lock towards an unlocked/position.

A further object of the invention is to provider parts of atightlock'coupler with finished or mashined surfaces which are shaped toprovide'a minimum of clearance between the lock engaging face of theknuckle and a vertical face on the lock to'reduce slack in rthecontourof the' cou-4 pier and at the same time provide a knuckle and lockassembly which will permit the lock to drop l to the locked position.

A still further object of the invention is to pro- Videguding surfaceson the knuckle tail which bias the lock to a position for movingdownwardly to vthe locked position even though the lock bearing surfacesare vertical with the Vclearance therebetween ata minimum and as smallasl one thirty-second of an inch.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent tothose skilled in the art' as the present disclosure proceeds and uponconsideration of the following detailed descriptionV and theaccompanying drawings wherein an exemplary embodiment of the 'inventionis` disclosed.

In the drawings:

solaires. (o1. 21a-144) Fig. 1- is a sectional plan view of a couplerassembly exhibiting the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation ofthe coupler organization lookingtowards the knuckle side of the coupler. Fig. 3 isa fragmentarysectional View taken approximately on the line 3 3 of Fig. l showingthelockjin a raised position with the knuckle partly open.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken generally on the line li-il vofFig. 1 showing the lock inV the locked position. l I

Fig. 5 is av sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing the lock in anintermediate position and the knuckle partly closed.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the guardarm side of the lock.

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the lock.

' Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the knuckle side of the lock.

Fig. 9 is a plan viewr of the lock.

Fig. 10 is a Sectional view taken on the line lil-I0 of Fig. 4 andshowing the position of the lock as the knuckle starts to move towardthe closed position. Y

rIhe invention is directed tov a coupler provided with lock bearingsurfaces arranged in a substantially vertical plane and approximatelyparallel with respect to the axis of swinging movement of the' knuckle.Such lock bearing surfaces thereby provide a structure which avoids atendency of the lock to be lifted when heavy loads are applied in pullon the coupler. The vertical lockrbearing surfaces also prevent thelock'fromlifting or rising as a result ofV the presence of any liquid orlubricating materials on the knuckleand the lock. The inventionfurtherpertains to the structure ofthev knuckle and lock 'top promotedownward movement of the lock 'when theknuckley is moved to the closedposition and to maintain the lock in an elevated position when theknuckle is open. Another feature of the invention relatesto the designof the lock and the knuckle tail appendage so that the'movem'ent of theknuckleto the closed posi-v t1on will prepare the lockV for downwardmovement to the locked position even though the clearance between thebearing surfaces on the lock and the knuckle tail are as small as onethirty-second'of an inch.

Referring tothe drawings there is shown at ll ya coupler,v body orhead.l In the embodiment illustratedrthe ycoupler is of the tightlocktype provided wlth aligning wings l2 and 14' on each side of the couplerhead. The lug carried by the toggle 2'1.

knuckle I5 and the pin H are associated with conventional type knucklepivot lugs on the coupler head. A support pin i8 is employed in theusual manner to maintain the knuckle pin l'i in place. The tail of theknuckle is illustrated'at I9 and is generally of a construction likethat of the prior art but the surfaces thereof for cooperation with thelock and the locking face as hereinafter described represent importantchanges over the known devices. The coupler includes a knuckle thrower2i pivoted for swinging movement about the axis of its trunnion 22. Thetip of the thrower engages a shoulder 25 on the under side of theknuckle I5 for moving it to an open position.

The lock is shown generally at 23 and is mounted for vertical movementwithin the coupler body iii 'which includes a lock housing 24 shown inFigs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. The lock 23 is actuated by means of 'lock liftassembly of a known type which includes a rotary lever 25 col operatingwith a toggle 2l. The lock 23 is provided' with a leg 28 which dependsinto a lock leg cavity or opening 33 for connection to the For thispurpose a lock trunnion 29 is provided which extends laterally from thelower end 0f the lock leg 28.

The knuckle tail I9 Aon the lock side is provided wth a lock bearingface or surface 3l and this surface is arranged in a substantiallyvertical plane as best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. This lock bearing face3l is also substantially parallel to the aXis of the knuckle pinV il.The face 3i is machined in contrast to the lock bearing surface of theAssociation of American Railroads Standard TypeE'coupler which isunmachined and thereforerequires a considerable amount of clearance ofthe associated parts to permit the lock to move downward to the lockedposition. immediately above the upper end of the vertical lock bearing'face 3l the knuckle tail carries an inclined surface 32. This slopingsurface 32 is arranged at a steep inclination and at an angle ofapproximately twenty degrees with respect to a vertical plancand withrespect tothe lock bearing face 3l.- fhe flat inclined surface 32 on theknuckle tail I3 merges at its upper end with a second inclined surface33 provided immediately above the inclined surface 32. The surface 33 isinclined with'respect to the vertical face 3|- at about-'fifty degrees.The surfaces 32 and 33` are also machinedy and each carries asubstantially straight flatfinish.'A The knuckle tail ES` is providedwith` a'further inclinedsurface 3S of relatively large areaas shown inFigs.V 1, 3, 4 and 5. Y The knuckle tail i9 also carries ak bearingsurface 38 which is adapted to engage a sidewall or abutment surface 39of the coupler head.- The bearing surface 33 on the knuckle tailismachined andthe surface 39 forming an adjacent portion of the inner wallof the coupler body is ground to very close relation to -a lock bearingWall 46 on the coupler head and forming a part of the lock housing 24.

rThe lock 23 is provided with a flat and substantially verticallydisposed knuckle engaging sur#V in Fig. 5.

face 4i. A surface 42 s provided on the lock immediately above thevertical surface 4i. The surface 42 is inclined and so shaped that thisside portion of the lock is substantially parallel to the surface 32 onthe knuckle tail when the lock is in the locked position. A furtherinclined fiat surface 43 is provided on the lock 23 and this surface issubstantially parallel to the surface 33 on the knuckle tail when theknuckle is in the closed position and with the lock in the lockedposition shown in Fig. 4. These faces on the .knuckle side of the lock23 are machined to smooth flat surfaces. The lock 23 carries a ledge 45under the lock fulcrum 45 which will ride on and engagea topsurface 4fof the knuckle tail i9 when the'knu'ckle is in an open position.

The lock includes a relatively flat side surface A48 which is adapted toengage the inner wall surface'li ofthe lock housing 24. ,2o.

When the knuckle. l`6 is moved towards the closed position the ledge 56of the lock 23 rides on the surface d? on the knuckle tail i3. rILhelock while being thus maintained in the raised position is restrainedfrom moving laterally with the knuckle tail I9 by bearing surfaces 5land 52 provided within the lock housing 24 as shown in Fig. l0. Theseguiding surfaces 5I and 52 engage correspending surfaces 54 and 55 onthe lock. The guide surface 52 is provided on the inner edge of avertically disposed rib 55. With the lock 23 engaging against the guidesurfaces 5| and 52 there is a clearance of about one eighth of an inchbetween the face 48 of the lock and the guide wall 45. Thus the lock isshifted to the position shown in Fig. 10 as the knuckle is moved towardthe closed position.

When the knuckle is open the lock 23 is supported in the raised positionby the knuckle tail surface 41. As the knuckle is rotated towards theclosed position the under side of the lock ledge 46 rides on the surface4l of the knuckle tail and then slides down the inclined surface 35. Thesloping surface 3G permits the lock to be moved downwardly so that acorner 6i] of the lock then engages the surface 33 on the knuckle tail.When the surface 38 on the knuckle tail contacts the coupler headsurface 39 the lock guiding surfaces 54 and 55 are in engagement withthe lock housing 24 at 5I and 52 and the cor ner Sii of the lock 23 ispartly down the steep in- @lined surface 32 on` the knuckle tail asshown The lo'ck'23 then shifts to the right from the position shown inFig. l0 as the corner 56 moves downwardly on the inclined surface 32.The surface 38 of the lock then engages the inner surface 4i) of thelock housing 24 as shown in Fig. 5. Due to the weight of thel lock andits momentum in sliding from the surface 4? onto the surface 36 and downthe surface 33 and downwardly on the inclined.r surface 32 the lock willdrop to the locked position as shown in Fig. fl. if a clearance of atleast onethirty-second of an inch is provided between the face 3l on theknuckle tail I9 andthe surface 4l on the lock the coupler has been foundto function properly and the lock moves into the locked position. Thelock and the knuckle are so shaped that there is a small clearancebetween the surfaces 32 and2 and between the surfaces 33 and 43 when theknuckle is closed and with the lockr 23 in the locked position.

As hereinabove indicated the corner of the lock body 23 at the lower endof the vertical face 4I is arcuate shaped as indicated at 60 inFigs. 3,

5 and "1. It has been found that When the couwww AAH* pler parts areformed as.v hereing` described the Quryaturer at 6 0; should h avearadiusof a fullv one-fourth ofV an inch. This arcuate cornerI surfacelfengages the sloping surface 33I and the steeper:inclined` surface 32`and further promotes moyement of the lock to thelocked position,

,'In a conventional coupler providedl with vertical'locking faceson theknuckleand lock these surfaces havenotbeen machined and do not havethesteepjinclined surface 3,2k on`v the knuckle tail'.

In suchacoupler a clearance of kone-fourthy to` three-eighths of aninchis necessary between the knuckle and. the lock to obtain satisfactorylocking? In such couplers thereha-s been approximately three-,fourthsofan inch free slack in` the contour. Therefore, the. knuckle mayberotatedrearwardly and take up the one-fourth n to three-eighths inchclearance between the knuckle. tail and the inner .bearing surfacev ofthe coupler head topermit the lock .to drop in the iocked position;

In thestandard tightlockicoupler the knuckleVv thickness is the same asthe opening in the contour and there hasbeen .no clearance between theknuckle'tail andthe side wall ofthe coupler head. IIhus the clearancebetween the knuckle and the lock. in the tightlock coupler when providedwith verticallocking faces must be obtained by reducing the thickness ofthe lock or the knuckle tail which in turn loosens the contour. Aboutone-half of the clearance between the knuckle and the lock is reflectedin the looset ness in the contour.

As distinguished from the standard typel coupler and the conventionaltightlock coupler the present invention provides guiding means for thelock so that with the knuckle in the fully closed position the lockengages an extra steep inclined surface 32 on the knuckle tail and dropsto the locked position with only one thirty-second of an inch clearancebetween the vertical sur- 1 face 3l on the knuckle tail andthe verticalsurface il on the lock and the coupler thereby provides a couplerassembly having only one sixtyfourth of an inch slack in the contour.

While the invention has been described with reference to specificstructural features of the coupler and with regard to specific angulardisposition of a number of faces of the lock and the knuckle, it will beunderstood that changes may be made in the details as well as theoverall organization without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters l Patent is:

l. In a railway car coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle swingably mountedon the coupler head,

a rigid abutment surface on the coupler head at the knuckle side of thecoupler, a tail portion on said knuckle adapted to engage said abutmentsurface in the closed position of the knuckle, a lock bearingvface onthe knuckle tail portion arranged in a substantially vertical plane, aflat inclined surface on theknuckle tail portion above and sloping awayfrom an upper end of thelock bearing face at an'angle of approximatelytwenty degrees, a second Vsubstantially flat vsurface on the knuckletail portion above the first inclined surface merging with an upper endthereof and sloping awayfrom the lock bearing face at an angle ofapproximately fifty degrees, a lock y mounted for vertical movements inthe coupler head, a knuckle bearing face on the lock arranged in asubstantially vertical plane, an arcuate ing not more than .onethirty-second pf an inch greater than similar horizontal collectivedimensionsfof the knuckle tail portion and the lock.

t 2. `Infa railway car coupler, a coupler head, a rigid abutment surfaceon the coupler head at the .knuckle sidev thereof, a knuckle swingablymounted on .the coupler head, a tail'von said .knuckle for :engagingsaidabutment surfacel in the closed.. position of the knuckle, a lockbearingface on the knuckle tail arranged in a subf stantially verticalplane, aL dat inclined surface on'the knuckle tail portion` slopingupwardly from an uppervend of and away from the lock bearingface,asecond flat surface on the knuckle tail portion merging with an upperend of the nrst inclined surface and sloping away from the lock bearingface at a greater angle than the inclination of the first inclinedsurface, a lock mounted for vertical movements in the coupler head, aknuckle bearing face on the lock arranged c in a substantially verticalplane, a corner on the lock at the lower end of said knuckle bearingface, said lock being supported on the knuckle tail when the knuckle isin open position, guide means at the knuckle side of the lock engaged bythe lock during movement of the knuckle towards the closed position,said guide means being so located that the corner on the lock is invertical alignment with said first inclined surface when Athe knuckletail engages said abutment surface, a guide wall at a guard arm side ofthe lock, and the horizontal distance between said abutment surfaceandsaid guide wall being approximately one thirty-second of an inch greaterthan similar horizontal collective dimen sions of the knuckle tail andthe lock.

3. In a railway car coupler, a coupler head, a.. non-yieldable abutmenton the coupler head atA the knuckle side of the coupler, a knuckleswingably mounted on the coupler head, a tail on said knuckle having abearing surface for contacting said abutment in the closed position ofthe knuckle, a lock mounted for vertical movements in the coupler head,a knuckle bearing face on the lock arranged in a substantially verticalplane, a corner on the lock at the lower end of said knuckle bearingface, means including a horizontal surface on the knuckle tailsupporting the lock in a raised position when theknuckle is in an openposition, a lock bearing 'face on the knuckle tail arranged in asubstantially vertical plane, an inclined surface on the knuckle tailsloping downwardly towards the lock bearing face from said horizontalsurface, a flat inclined surface on the knuckle tail sloping downwardlyfrom a lower end of the iirst inclined surface, a :dat inclined surfaceon the knuckle tail sloping downwardly from the lower end of the secondinclined surface and merging with an upper end of the lock bearing face,guide means engaged by the lock during movement of the n knuckletowardsl the closed position, said guide means being so located thatsaid corner of the lock moves downwardly into engagement with said thirdinclined surface when the bearing surface on the knuckle tail contactssaid abutment, a lock bearing wall at a guard arm side of the lock, andthe horizontal distance between said abutment and said lock bearing wallbeing not more than a thirty second of an inch greater than similarhorizontal collective dimensions of the knuckle tail portion and thelock.

4. In a knuckle for a railway car coupler, said knuckle having a knucklepin opening therein, a tail portion on the knuckle, a lock bearing faceon the knuckletail portion arrangedsubstantially parallel to the axis ofthe knuckle pin opening and in a substantially vertical plane when theknuckle is mounted on a coupler head, a iiat surface on the knuckle tailportion above the lock bearing face merging with the upper end there--of and sloping away from the plane of the lock bearing face at an angleof approximately twenty :degrees with respect thereto, and a second flat.inclined surface on the knuckle tail portion above the first inclinedsurface merging with an upper -end thereof and sloping away from thelock bearing face at an angle of approximately fifty degrees withrespect to the lock bearing face.

f5. In a knuckle for a railway car coupler, said knuckle having aknuckle pin opening therein, a tail on the knuckle,v a lock bearing faceon aI lateral portion of the knuckle tail arranged substantiallyparallel to the axis of the knuckle pin opening and in a substantiallyvertical plane when the knuckle is mounted on a coupler head, a flatinclined surface on the knuckle tail above the lock bearing face mergingwith an upper end thereof and sloping away from the plane of the lockbearing face at a relatively steep angle, a second inclined surface onthe knuckle tail above the first inclined surface merging with an upperend thereof and sloping away from the lock bearing face at an anglewhich is less than the slope angle of the first inclined surface.

5 HARRY H. WOLFE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,932,440 Bazeley Oct. 31, 1933 2,178,062 Bazeley Oct. 31,1939 2,354,271 Metzger July 25, 1944 2,361,850 Kinne Oct. 31, 19442,408,653 Kinne Oct. 1, 1946

